Battery cable fixture



y 1942- w. H. THOMAS ,9

BATTERY CABLE FIXTURE Filed Feb. 26, 1942 WiZZz'a m-H Tiza maa Patented July 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I na'r'rnar izzit r'lx'ronr: r William H. Thomas, Little Falls, N. Y.

Application February 26, 1942, Serial No. 432,503 '1 Claim. .(01. re-259) This invention relates to a connector for connecting a cable to a battery post and more particularly to a connector of very simple construction and which includes a base or body member that can be formed from a plastic material such as hard, vulcanized fiber instead of metal, thus eflecting a saving in brass or lead, of which said elements are ordinarily formed, and in addition, providing an element which will not be subject to corrosion, so that when released it can be readily removed from a ing to be pried therefrom and possibly damaging the battery.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide a battery terminal connector having means for lubricating the parts thereof, and the connection with the battery post, to prevent the connector from rusting and to prevent corrosion from accumulating on the post.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from thefollowing description of the drawing, which illustrates preferred embodiments thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of the connector,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal substantially vertical sectional view partly in elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the connector taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the lines 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the connector,

Figure 5 is a top plan view of a slightly modified part of the connector and which is shown partly in section, and

Figure 6 is an end view in elevation of the same, looking toward the right hand end of Fig- .ure 5.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the difi'erent views, and referring particularly to Figures 1 to 4, I0 designates generally a battery terminal connector in its entirety and which includes a base or body member, designated generally II and a bolt designated generally I2.

The base or body member II includes a sleeve or ring portion I3 which is relatively wide and which is oval in shape, as seen in Figure 1. The base member II also includes a shank portion II which is formed integral with the sleeve member I3 and which projects outwardly from one end thereof. The shank I4 is provided with a bore, designated generally I5, which extends lonbattery post without havgitudinally therethrough and which includes a restricted inner end I! which opens into the opening of the sleeve member I 3, and an enlarged outer end I] which opens outwardly of the outer end of the shank I4, and which is internally threaded. The shank I4 is provided with a downwardly extending lubricating port III which opens downwardly into bore portion Il near its inner end.

The thread of the bolt I2 is a proper size to engage the thread of the bore portion I1, and the inner end of the bolt I 2, which extends into the bore portion I1 is provided with a restricted unthreaded shank I9 which extends therefrom through the restricted bore portion I6 and into the opening of the sleeve member I3. Shank I9 is turnably and slidably disposed in the bore portion I6 to permit the bolt I2 to be advanced or retracted relatively to the shank I4, and the free end of the shank I9 terminates in a tapered point 20. Bolt I2 is provided with a collar 2| which is shown as being formed integral therewith and intermediate of its ends but which could obviously be rigidly secured thereto. .The

collar 2| is disposed on the exposed portion of the bolt I2 and spaced from the shank It so that the'bolt I2 includes a threaded portion 22 beyond the collar 2|. Collarjl is provided with wrench lands 23 for receiving a turning tool by means of which the bolt I 2 can be turned relatively to the shank I4. Bolt I2, between the collar 2I and its inner end is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 24 which aligns with and communicates with a longitudinally extending groove 25 in the restricted shank I9. A nut 26 engages the bolt portion 22.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a battery terminal or post is indicated in dotted lines at 21, and the sleeve or ring member I3 is adapted to be applied over post 21, with th bolt I2 in a retracted position. The bolt I2 can then be turned for advancing it inwardly of the shank I4 and for advancing the restricted shank I9 into the opening of the sleeve member I3 so that point 20 will engage and be imbedded in the post 21 for anchoring the connector I0 thereto.. Likewise, when the shank I9 is forced into the post 21 the connector III will be caused to move to the right in Figures 1 and 2 so that the post 21 will be wedged in the restricted, left hand end of the sleeve member I3. An end of a connector cable, not shown, is then positioned between the nut 26 and the collar 2| after which the nut is advanced toward the collar for clamping the cable therebetween. It will thus be readily obvious that the bolt l2, including the threaded shank l8. will form a conductor between the cable and the battery post 21 so that the base or body member ll need not be formed or a conducting material. Bolt I2 is intended to be disposed with the grooves 24 and 25 opening fipwardly and the portion of the bore ll, between the inner end of the bolt l2 and the restricted bore portion [8 forms a chamber for a lubricant, preferably oil, not shown, which is supplied thereto through the port I8 and which is adapted to flow through groove 25 for lubricating the bearing surface between the shank l9 and the bore portion l6, and for supplying a lubricant In Figures 5 and 6 a modified form of bolt,

designated 21, which is adapted for use with the body member I I is illustrated. Bolt 21 is threaded to engage the bore portion l1 and has a shank 28, corresponding to the shank I 9 except that the groove 29 thereof terminates in spaced relationship to the inner end of the bolt 21 and to the groove 30 of the bolt, which corresponds to the groove 2|. Grooves 29 and it perform the same function as the grooves and 24, respectively, "and the bolt 21 is mounted in the same manner as the bolt l2 and the shank It performs the same function as th shank l9. Instead of being provided with a collar 2| and a nut 26,'bolt 21 is provided with two nut 3] which engage the exposed portion thereof and between which an end of a cable is adapted to be clamped. Bolt 21 is also provided with a restricted squared portion 32 at its outer end for receiving a turning tool for advancing and retracting the bolt relatively to the shank ll. In view of the detailed description of the bolt II, a further description of the bolt 21 is deemed unnecessary.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to,.

provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention, as hereinafter defined by the appended claim, as only preferred embodiments of the invention have been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:-

A battery terminal connector comprising a base member having a sleeve at one end thereof for receiving a battery post, a shank projecting from a portion or the sleeve and provided with a bore which extends longitudinally therethrough, said bore having an inner restricted end which opens into the opening of the sleeve and an enlarged, outer end which is internally threaded; a bolt for engaging the threaded part of the bore, said bolt having a restricted shank which projects from its inner, shank end through the restricted end of the bore, the free end of the restricted shank extending into the sleeve opening for engaging the battery post to connect the connector thereto, the opposite end of the bolt protruding from the shank, and means carried by the last mentioned end of the bolt for clamping a cable thereto, the shank oi the base member having a lubricating port which opens downwardly into the enlarged part of the bore, and said bolt and its restricted shank having longitudinally extending grooves for conveying a lubricant to lubricate the parts.

WILLIAM H. THOMAS. 

